The Samsung Galaxy S10e Camera In Action
I got the chance to test out the Samsung Galaxy S10e camera and here are my impressions. The S10e is the more budget priced model of the S10 series. In contrast to the other models, it has a smaller screen size than the S10 (6.1") and S10+ (6.4") at 5.8". Despite the size difference, it uses the same Dual Pixel PDAF camera which takes amazing images. It is a combination of Samsung optics and computational photography using AI software working with the image processor. Samsung calls it an “intelligent camera” which can optimize your scene settings.
Let me discuss the basic specs of the camera system. Unlike the higher end flagship S10+ which has a triple camera system that includes a telephoto lens camera, the S10e uses a dual camera system consisting of an ultrawide and wide lens camera. Here are the basic specs:
Main Rear Dual Camera
12 MP, f/1.5–2.4, 26mm (wide), 1/2.55", 1.4µm, Dual Pixel PDAF, OIS
16 MP, f/2.2, 12mm (ultrawide), 1.0µm
2160p@60fps, 1080p@240fps, 720p@960fps, HDR
Selfie Front Facing Camera
10 MP, f/1.9, 26mm (wide), 1.22µm, Dual Pixel PDAF
2160p@30fps, 1080p@30fps
The specs look great on paper. The 12 MP wide angle lens camera has a variable aperture system like that used on the S9, which can change from 1.5 to 2.4. This feature allow the camera to adjust the aperture accordingly based on lighting conditions. The 16 MP ultrawide lens camera has an aperture of 2.2 with a 12mm focal length, which is ideal for the widest angle shots.
The main cameras are prominently placed on the back of the smartphone. When you take a look at the selfie camera, Samsung does it in new style called the “punch hole”. This certainly reduces the bezels even more and increases the screen-to-body ratio and the good thing about it is … it’s not as annoying as the notch in my own humble opinion. Unless you take a lot of selfies, it actually becomes unnoticeable once you start using it.
I did not do an extensive shoot, but just tested the camera with some simple shots. For my subject I used a Bruce Lee figure aka “Lil’ Bruce” in different type of settings. I also tested the camera on extreme close up with food to see how it captures the details. All shots were taken without flash and using only natural or ambient light that was available in the room. That way I can test the low light imaging capabilities of the S10e. All shots taken were stills, I did not test the video capabilities or selfies on this camera.
Camera Configuration
Like most smartphone cameras, you don’t need to configure anything on the S10e. It is a point and shoot no brainer autofocus camera. The basic camera settings like WB (White Balance), ISO, aperture and shutter speed are all done by the camera. In the words of Samsung “It lets you shoot like a pro, without being a pro”. What I will discuss here is how to set the camera up to take your shots.
You basically just select the camera icon from the S10e screen and it opens up the camera app. There are various modes to choose from like “Food” for close up and macro shots, “Panorama” for wide angle horizontal views, “Pro” for optimized settings and “Live Focus” for more depth in selfies and portraits.
When you point your camera at the subject or object you want to shoot, you get focus points. The number of focus points vary, but this allows the camera to set the focus using dual pixel sensors to get the sharpest and best clarity of the image. I like the way the slim design allows for good one hand operation that makes it easier to capture the image. Even though it is slim, it doesn’t feel like it is going to fall out of my hands. It may depend on the person though, but for the most part it felt comfortable to use.
The focus points are similar to how a DSLR or mirrorless camera works. The lens creates a sort of grid array on your subject or object. This grid then contains focus points which look like tiny squares on the where you point your camera. These points then allow the camera system to create focus and this is the point where the light converges with the lens and this is the how you get the sharpest image result.
You also get OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) which prevents blurry images due to camera shake. This is a nice feature to have especially if you don’t have steady hands. One of the most common mistakes in photography are blurry images that initially was in focus, but due to shake the image is captured poorly. On DSLR cameras, image stabilization is used on the lens or body. OIS works by adjusting the lens elements to counteract camera shake to reduce blurring. It is great to have and makes your photos come out sharp and clearly in focus most of the time.
Applying Effects
You can create all sorts of effects with the S10e on the image you capture. This is computational photography at work. You can “blur”, “spin”, “zoom” and use color points to make a subject stand out by making the colors pop out more. I used a blur effect to give a more action shot feel to Lil’ Bruce, and this was all done in-camera. No need to copy the file to a computer and edit in post.
Changing Angles
Here is where things really get interesting with how you can adjust the lens from wide to ultrawide. This allows you to come closer to your subject or take a wider angle of view that includes more scenery. This captures a scene much like how your eyes would naturally see it.
I tried to use the 2X zoom feature, but the results were not that great on the main cameras. It just doesn’t have the same resolving power and clarity compared to a telephoto lens.
Panoramic Shots
I think taking panoramic shots can be hit or miss. It is not always perfect even though it uses AI optimizations. I am sure through software updates, the image results will get better. The problem here is the distortion it creates on the image. It is best to capture the image from the best perspective so you don’t get as much distortion.
Now here is an example of a panoramic ultrawide angle view. Notice how much more dramatic it makes the scene look with the contrast of the surroundings with Lil’ Bruce. This made use of the 16 MP camera lens.
Why doesn’t the image captured using the ultrawide camera have an exposure setting? When I checked the EXIF of the image on my editing program (Adobe PS CC 20.0.4), there were no details about the exposure. This is because the image was rendered using AI computation. The camera digitizes the scene and lets the AI take care of the rest. The final image is actually a composite of many frames that were stitched together. Each frame would have a different or similar exposure setting, but there is no actual exposure setting for the image created.
Depending on how you compose the shot, the AI software attempts to stitch together the scenes you compose. It appears more distorted the closer you are to the image and appears much better the farther you are.
Another note, when taking a full panoramic scene, the number of the pixels in the image will vary. If you try taking a full panoramic scene that your camera allows, you will be using the full 12 or 16 MP feature your camera has. In the other example I shot, it was 6729 x 2378 pixels because I maximized the full length that the S10e camera would allow.
PRO Mode
I wanted to take a few shots to test the professional mode, which aims to capture the best portrait or landscape. It would appear like you shot the image from a typical DSLR camera.
Now when the lighting condition changes, the camera makes adjustments like in the next photo.
It has identical settings with the first image, but in this one the camera automatically bumped up the ISO to 640. In this case, the scene was much darker. Lil’ Bruce was placed inside a shelf where there is less light hitting the subject.
Food Mode
One mode the camera offers which I had to check out was a “Food” mode. What is important in food photography is getting the correct exposure since it is the visual appeal that matters. For example, a food photographer shooting for a restaurant must capture the details in color, texture and depth. You want to see a photo of a pasta dish and after seeing it makes you want to order one.
With the S10e, the food photography mode is actually like shooting with a macro lens. It is best to get really close to the subject to get the details you want. It has a shallow depth of field that focuses more on the subject than the background. Get close and then adjust the distance of your composition. I could have gotten a better shot I am sure, with better lighting conditions. I could have tried other food, but I did not have anything else at that time other than cookies. I can imagine people would use this mode to capture the food they are about to eat and post on social media.
Low Light Conditions
My last test was to try the camera in low light. More in the shadows or shade, so I placed Lil’ Bruce in a not so well lit area.
Like in a previous photo, the camera made the best adjustments to crush the shadows and contrast it with the available light. The ISO was also increased but at a faster shutter speed.
It appears the AI software is attempting to use settings to get the sharpest image and not the brightest. I say this because it is using a faster shutter speed with the low light conditions to minimize any blur or out-of-focus shot. If I were shooting this on a DSLR, I would most likely bump up the ISO on the camera settings to bring out more highlights. Instead the S10e brought the ISO down to 50 but dropped the aperture to f1.5. The ISO was most likely not bumped up because it would show more noise and grain in the image. There are probably different ways the camera sees the scene, and based on the machine learning algorithm it uses, will adjust the scene accordingly. The variable aperture feature is what is used in low light conditions. It is on the 12 MP camera, not on the 16 MP.
Final Impressions
I thought the camera on the S10e is great for most daily photography. If you are shooting something for social media or the web, the S10e is fine and even masterful at that. However, it does lack the more advanced features found in its flagship brothers. For one it lacks the telephoto lens which would allow tighter angle of views at the sharpest focus. The S10e when using zoom takes lossy images because the lens cannot get that optical focus to produce the sharpest image. The quality suffers, but the dual camera lenses are great for portraits and wider angle shots.
It would be nice if there were a low light shooting feature like the Night Sight on the Pixel 3. This would be great for night photography and the S10e has the hardware capable to do this. It was probably not necessary to include because the 12 MP wide angle lens camera at f1.5 aperture can take amazing night time shots based on what I have seen from others.
These smartphone cameras have an advantage over bulkier DSLR and mirrorless in some ways. One I can think of is the smaller form factor allows you to take images at really strange and unusual angles. The creative side of the one taking the photos can take over from there.
Another thing to know is that the S10e is just a small camera, so don’t expect the results to be much better than a full frame mirrorless or DSLR camera at the same pixel resolution. Those cameras also have larger sensor sizes which can capture more light. The S10e will rely on some computational techniques to get the best results, so it is not relying on the camera’s optics alone.
Overall, this is a great option in the same class as the iPhone XR. These new class of smartphones are at a budget price, but offer some of the features of flagship brands. It also allows the user to create special effects, apply different shooting modes and take stunning selfies. Being able to take great photos from the camera is what makes it fun for everyone.
